The present invention relates to a labelling unit of containers, particularly bottles.
The labelling of containers and, in particular, bottles is an operation that may be carried out in different stages of the process of preparing bottled beverages, although it is most commonly performed immediately after filling the bottle.
There are several types of labelling.
A first type uses self-adhesive labels, which are released from a base web on which the labels are adhered at even intervals, usually almost in contact one to another. The release of the single label is performed immediately before applying it onto the container to be labeled.
A second type of labelling machine uses a continuous web on which the single labels are directly printed. In this case, the label cutting operation is performed at a remote position with respect to the point where the label is applied on the container. The label, cut and by now singularized, is hold on a drum in vacuum or provided with mechanical gripping members, which provides to send it, after a passage in a glue coating unit, to the next labelling unit.
Although the latter type of label is less expensive compared to the self-adhesive labels, the handling of the singularized labels involves a complication both at the structural level (higher complexity and dimension of the labelling machine) and in managing the labelling process.